Maoists shot in Chhattisgarh

Security personnel gunned down three Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sarguja and Dantewada districts, reports our correspondent from Raipur. Of the three slain rebels, two were from Jharkhand.

In the first incident that took place late last night in Balrampur police district of Sarguja, jawans from the special task force and district force shot dead two Maoists from Jharkhand in the Joba forest near Manikpur village.

A zonal commander of the CPI(Maoist), Ram Singh Cherwa — also from Jharkhand — sustained bullet injuries, but could not be caught.

Balrampur superintendent of police S.R.P. Kalluri said the operation was conducted on a tip-off from an informer that more than 40 Maoists from Jharkhand had sneaked into Chhattisgarh.

After the shootout, the police discovered two bodies, which were identified as those of Sanjay Singh and Lal Bihari. Arms, ammunition and Maoist literature were recovered from the spot.

In another encounter that took place around 9.30 am today in Bhairamgarh area of Bijapur police district in Dantewada, Central Reserve Police Force jawans shot a rebel leader near Utla village and arrested at least five others.

Bastar inspector-general of police R.K. Viz said the slain Maoist leader — in uniform — was yet to be identified.